Easter Traditions
by My Dusty
Summary: SSHG...story has no deep meanings, merely a brief piece of fluff that wouldn't get out of my head...one shot


A/N: This is nothing but a piece of pure fluff that I wrote, simply because I could. It is AU, and SS is OOC...reviews appreciated, but no flames please...and in case you couldn't tell, this takes place after Hermione had grown up and is no longer a student...HG/SS

Disclaimer: Not mine...

Hermione's alarm went off at the ungodly hour of 6:00am this Sunday morning. She rolled over and a quick flick of her wand turned it off. She glanced at her husband beside her. He was such a light sleeper there was no way he didn't notice that shrill beeping. Still, he didn't say anything, merely watched in bemusement as she slid out of bed to begin dressing.

Snape waited until she was completely dressed and headed for the door to question her. "Where do you think you're going?"

She sent him a small smile over her shoulder and went to look through a trunk while answering. "I'm sorry I woke you, darling. Now go on back to sleep."

"You still haven't told me where you're going," he reminded her.

"I'm just going out for a few minutes." She suddenly stopped shifting through things in her trunk, and pulled out a book, a big book. Severus stared at that book for a while. He knew that book! It was the one he often found her reading when she thought she was alone. The same book she cried herself to sleep on every time he had been summoned to the Dark Lord's side. It was her bible.

"Why do you need that book?"

She gave him a half-worried half-exasperated glance and shrugged it off. "Nothing. I'm not going anywhere dangerous, this isn't important to you, now please go back to sleep. I'll be back!"

He watched as she quickly left their chambers. Thankfully, he slept with his wand close by, and was able to grab it and place a tracking spell on her before she cleared the door.

As soon as he heard her footsteps echo down the hallways, he jumped up and threw on some clothes. Odds were good that no one else would be up at this hour, especially not a student, but he didn't want to take any chances. Thanks to the tracking spell, following her was a simple matter. He was a bit surprised that she went so far away, and at that moment, he was especially thankful the Dark Lord was gone and he no longer had to worry about Hermione's safety.

She'd gone through the dark forest, until she reached the edge of a cliff, facing dead east. There standing over a cliff and looking out over the sea, was Hermione. He watched as she stood there doing nothing but staring. Then she turned her head just a bit, enough so the first rays of the sun came over her and caused a the tears on her face to glitter like diamonds.

He couldn't stay back any longer. Walking up to behind her, Severus wrapped his arms around her. "Hermione?"

That one word was enough. They were so close that there was no need for him to voice his many questions. That single word and the amount of care and concern he'd managed to put in it was more than enough. She knew what he was asking.

Hermione sighed in relief as she felt his arms surround her. For all her telling him she wanted to be alone, and for him not to follow her this morning, she had wanted nothing more than for him to hold her. She turned in his arms slightly and leaned into him a little more. "I'm fine, Severus. I'm just having my annual Easter Sun-Rise Service."

His eyes showed his confusion.

Therefore, she obliged him by explaining further. "You remember me telling you that I grew up as a Christian and the true meaning of Easter for me?"

He nodded.

"Well, one of my family's traditions growing up was to go to the Easter morning Sun-Rise Service every year." Her smile turned bittersweet as she remembered the past. "We would always stand together as a family and pray. My parents took turns until I was old enough. I remember the first year I said the family prayer. It was when I first started at Hogwarts. I'd gone home for the Easter Holidays and dad turned to me and said, 'Punkin, I want you to know how proud your mum and I are of you, and well, we want you to pray for the family this year.' "

Severus didn't say anything, just continued to hold her as she talked. "Every year without fail we'd go. I had nothing but good memories of this day, but last year..."

She trailed off but he understood. He remembered all too clearly how the Dark Lord had killed her parents in his last raid ever. Later that day, Harry had faced Voldemort for the final time and defeated him in the ultimate battle, but the damaged had been done. Her parents were dead.

Snape clearly remembered the look on her face at their wedding a few months later. She'd wished so hard that she'd married while her parents were still alive. He'd never felt so guilty in his life. Not that it mattered. He wouldn't have married her sooner, even if he'd known what was going to happen. The Dark Lord would have killed her without a thought. Nothing was worth her safety. It hurt him so see her so sad over her parents, yes, but it would kill him to lose her.

He hoped that she understood that. It occurred to him that he wasn't much on explaining himself, and he realized just how much faith she had in him, to be able to accept so many things he did.

He also realized that today was Easter morning and the reason she'd been here was to try to continue the celebration she'd always had with her family. Her dead family.

She still didn't say anything more, so he decided to speak. "Hermione, I hope you know that if I could've done anything to save your parents, then I would have. If Voldemort had told me, I would have blown my cover and saved them." _I would've trade placed with them if I could have. _

At his words, she let out a little cry. Once again, she understood what he'd been thinking. "No, Severus! No! I wouldn't have traded you, not for all the parents in the world!" She hugged him fiercely with tears streaming down her face. "I miss them, but I would die without you. I love you!"

He kissed her softly. "I love you, too."

She faced the water again. "Tradition is important with me and even though my family is no longer here, I will continue the tradition."

"I'm here. Am I not part of your family?"

Those softly spoken words showed Hermione just how insensitive she'd been. And how unfair. She'd been longing for him to come with her and join her tradition, but she'd never bothered to explain it to him. Never bothered to ask.

Glancing up at him she softly stroked his cheek. "My dearest love, I'm so sorry. You ARE my family now, and you are more than enough. Severus, would you like to join me for the Easter morning Sun Rise service?"

He chuckled. "Silly little chit. If I didn't then I surely wouldn't have offered." The tenderness in his voice took all the sting out of his insulting words.

She smiled widely, then opened her bible and read about the day celebrated as Easter. Severus listened quietly, and when she was finished, he held her close once more. "Are you ready to pray?"

Hermione shook her head. "How about you pray."

Severus felt honored by her statement, but he was also worried. He'd never been big on prayer before and he wasn't sure what to say, but finally he closed his eyes, emptied his brain, and let his heart do the talking. It sounded horribly awkward and simple to him, but when he finished Hermione kissed him yet again.

"That was beautiful, Severus."

They started back to the castle. They'd almost arrived when she turned to him again. "Thank you so much, Severus, for putting up with me, and for saying that prayer, I know it doesn't matter to you, but it's important to me. I hope you don't get tired of me saying so, but I love you so much!"

He stared at her in shock. He 'd been right! His ability to hide his feelings had worked only too well. He debated for a minute, because baring his heart and soul really wasn't his thing, but her expression changed his mind. "Hermione! Don't you know how much I love you? Anything that's important to you is also important to me. Sometimes, I still have a hard time believing you can love me, so I assure you I'll never tire of hearing you say so."

By now several student were awake and looking outside. They were shocked to their toes, for there was their snarky Potions Professor, who didn't allow so much as hand holding in his classes, kissing his wife as though his life depended on her. They would've been even more surprised to know that it did.


End file.
